Fleeting Moment
by Breething Blue
Summary: He had promised himself, for the good of everyone, but mainly for her, that he would not go back. He would live his life waiting, and if fate had their paths collide, then it was meant to be.
1. Chapter 1

**Fleeting Moment**

**Chapter one**

The town was dark, everything covered in a layer of black, only small squares of dim lights behind a layer of cloth could be seen down the long street. A man, his hair a light shade of white, walked down the road alone, a long wooden stick in one hand.

Death was near, he was sure of it. It had been lingering behind his back for days. By only mere willpower was he still alive. He was an old man, who many would say had overstayed his welcome on earth. And he didn't believe he could push his luck much longer. Soon the man in the long black cloak would win.

He had promised himself, that for the good of everyone, but mainly for her, that he would not go back. He would live his life waiting, and if fate had their paths collide, then it was meant to be.

But waiting had not brought them together again. And when your near death, you see everything you didn't do, everything you could have done, and everything you want to do so much more clearly than you ever did before.

Opening the door to a shop that was placed at the end of the road, the old man pushed his way in. The familiar scent of sawdust and rust filled him with a sweet bitter feeling of nostalgia as he walked across the wooden floor to the edge of the room. He leaned down, lifting up a loose floorboard and retrieved a small metal box from inside.

The old man traced his hand over the box, as if it was a great treasure. He opened it carefully, blowing a breath of air to remove the dust that had settled inside of it. Reaching into the metal box, he pulled out the only item that it contained.

To those who didn't know what it was, it would look like nothing more than a small, oddly shaped ball of metal. But to those who did know, it would mean so much more. It marked a time where chaos raged, and the impossible suddenly became possible.

Bringing the object to his mouth, the old man whispered something softly to it. And then he was gone.

* * *

Well I'm a huge huge fan of _The Girl Who Leapt Through Time_, I've had to have watched it at least thirty times by now, so I wanted to try seeing if I can write something with it. This chapter is more of an introduction I guess, since it's so short, but I just decided to label it a chapter anyways. I deffinately plan on continuing this, I have lots of ideas running through my head for this story right now. I should probably jot some down so I don't forget them.

-has a terrible memory-


	2. Chapter 2

**Fleeting Moment**

**Chapter two**

First, the sight. Blackness. It was a darkness that glowed. A darkness that pulled him in, yet made him want to push away. A darkness that made his eyes feel like they would catch fire if he looked too long, but still he stared, for it was too gorgeous to look away.

Second, the feeling. Water. Everywhere. Above him, below him, surrounding him. It cradled him softly, but ever so slowly it began to hold him tighter and tighter in its powerful grip, pulling him down in to the endless abyss of blackness below.

Third, the sound. Somewhere far off in the distance, a muffled roar rang loudly. And the sound did not cease, one loud roar after the never failed to proceed. The sounds though were unclear, as though he was on the edge of consciousness, or behind closed doors.

And lastly, the control. Immediately his arms and legs were pushing him forward, full force through the water. It was as if all along he had been trying to escape, in an effort that he didn't know he was attempting.

Breaking through the top of the water, he sucked in a deep breath, the smell of smoke staining the air. He knew that smell all too well.

Pulling himself out of the water, he observed that he had merely been in a pond, no larger than twenty feet wide. Looking around, he then noticed the trees, every last one of them fallen over, black and burned.

He needed no more to know where he had returned to. He had come back to the worst times in his life, in everyone's lives. A time where tears were always being spilled, and blood was always being shed. It was a time of war.

He laid himself down softly on the only patch of grass in sight. Opening his hand, he looked down at the small metal device he held, the creases and edges of it had left small indents on his palm. Relief washed through him. If he had managed to lose it, he wouldn't know what to do. Coming back was already a large enough risk, there was no need for any more confusion.

First, he would sleep. Second, he would go to her, against what his better judgement was telling him. Third, he would leave. And lastly, he would die. Not the ideal plan, by anyone's standards. But that's all he needed, all he wanted. If he could see her, he needed nothing more.

Closing his eyes, he quickly drifted off to sleep. Time traveling had never been so exhausting.

* * *

This chapter, I guess, is mainly foreshadowing. And my goodness, it looks so much shorter here than it did when I wrote it. So until I finally realize the size difference, I guess my chapters are going to be kind of short. SORRY. I'll try to work on it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Fleeting Moment**

**Chapter three**

He was not awakened by the morning sun that warmed his pale skin, or by the chirps of the birds, which seemed oddly out of place in a spot which held no living trees. But instead he was awoken by the smell of fire, strangely strong even though it was still far away.

Taking his time, he pulled himself to his feet unwillingly. Dusting off his clothes slowly, which now hung loosely on him, he headed in the opposite direction from where the smoke was rising.

It didn't take him long to realize where he was, although different, less lively, it was his home. It was the town he would always consider his home. It was the town where he had first gone to school. It was where he had learned to play baseball, where he had first fallen in love, and where he had met all his friends. It was the town where he lost everything he had come to cherish.

A feeling rose inside of him, perhaps it was anger, regret, or maybe it was even fear. But he pushed it away, down deep inside of him, as he walked down the familiar street he had stumbled upon. It was _her _street. Or at least the street she had once lived on. He doubted she still lived there, it was foolish of him to even hope that she might. It was selfish of him to, he was putting her in danger by coming. Yet still he had come.

Stopping at where her house once stood, he let out a deep breath that he wasn't aware he had been holding. It was a home. But not hers. It was a small old wooden house, about a fourth of the size of what her's use to be. The door, which looked as if it could be knocked down with merely a touch, held a small worn out metal plate, with a few faded letters on it. _-su-a _was all he could make out of it.

Still, hope sat inside his stomach, no matter how useless he believed it to be. Reaching out his hand shakily, he knocked. Time seemed to stop as he waited. One minute. Two minutes. Had it been three minutes? He didn't know. But still he waited.

And finally the door creaked open, and as if in slow motion, he saw her. _Her._ The familiar curves of her face, with the same deep brown eyes. She had aged though, looking much older than she probably was. Wrinkles surrounded her eyes and mouth, while gray touched the edges of her messy brown hair. But still, it was her. And she was beautiful. More beautiful than he had ever seen her look before.

Instinctively his arm reached out, wrapping around her neck, he pulled her to him. With her, with him, he suddenly realized how big a part of him he had been missing in his life since he left. Much bigger than he had known.

It was right, it was perfect. This was what he had needed, what he had needed before he could accept his fate. Before he accepted death.

But one single word from her made him want so much more.

"...Chiaki." She said softly.

* * *

Dun. Dun. Dun. They finally meet! Well I feel I have officially distorted Chiaki's attachment to Makoto. But I figured since he waited so long for her that he would perhaps be a bit more emotional about it all. I hope it didn't bother anyone as much as it did me. If so, TELL ME PLEASE. And I had made their meeting different at first, Makoto went all Jackie Chan on him. I would too if someone just suddenly grabbed me! But comedy is not really my forte' so reading it felt kind of off. So I switched to this instead.


End file.
